The Julian Sander Gallery is presenting a comprehensive exhibition that brings together works from all of photographer Lisette Model's major series, while also providing new insights into the contributions of renowned printer Gerd Sander. The exhibition not only showcases Model's diverse body of work but also highlights Sander's crucial role in preserving and promoting her photographic legacy during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Gerd Sander's involvement in Model's work extended far beyond his role as a gallery owner. As an accomplished printer, he undertook the challenging task of creating new prints from Model's well-known photographs from the 1930s and 1940s. Working prints preserved in his estate demonstrate his exceptional skills in the darkroom, where many of the original negatives were in poor condition and required extensive chemical and physical expertise to produce quality editions. The exhibition includes comparisons of different prints made from the same negative, drawing attention to an often-overlooked aspect of photography where the negative serves as a foundation but only represents the starting point for the final artistic print.

Lisette Model (1901-1983) built her entire photographic career around the advice given to her by friend and photographer Rogi André: "Never photograph anything you are not passionately interested in!" Born in Vienna in 1901, Model initially pursued music, studying harmony and composition under the renowned Arnold Schönberg before transitioning to photography in the early 1930s. While living in France, she captured her first significant photographs in Paris and on the Côte d'Azur, which were soon published in Regards magazine.

Model's early work in France established her characteristic socially critical perspective. In Nice, she used her Rolleiflex camera to photograph wealthy and complacent vacationers lounging on the Promenade des Anglais, while in Monte Carlo, she captured her famous image of a corpulent gambler, among other subjects. These photographs of upper-class prosperity and carefree lifestyle created a stark contrast with her documentation of working-class people and clochards who struggled to survive on the streets of Paris. Through her unsentimental eye and formally composed images, Model made the social inequalities of society clearly visible.

After emigrating to the United States in 1938, Model continued exploring themes of social disparity in her new environment. She photographed members of the precariat on New York's Lower East Side while also documenting guests at luxurious restaurants, maintaining her focus on contrasting social conditions. Her photographs of singers performed at the legendary New York bar Sammy's reflected her lifelong passion for music and provided intimate portraits of the city's entertainment culture.

Beyond her portrait work, Model created more formally experimental series that captured the essence of big-city life, characterized by speed and overwhelming sensory experiences. Her "Reflections" series transformed views into reflective shop windows into complex, overlapping visual spaces that challenged traditional photographic perspectives. In her "Running Legs" series, she positioned her camera close to the pavement to capture the frantic pace and movement of New York's streets, creating dynamic images that conveyed the energy and chaos of urban life.

Model's uncompromising vision and the powerful expressiveness of her images established her as a renowned photographer who worked extensively for Harper's Bazaar and other major magazines throughout her career. Her influence extended beyond her own work through her teaching and mentorship of other photographers. A comprehensive catalogue will be published to accompany this exhibition, providing additional context and analysis of her contributions to photography.

The exhibition "MODEL. Photographs from the Gerd Sander Collection" will run from September 6, 2025, through November 15, 2025, at Galerie Julian Sander, located at Bonner Str. 82, 50677 Cologne, Germany. More information is available at the gallery's website.